Chapter 34: Coming Back Home

Lillie had fully recovered, and now it was time to return to Country K.

She stood in front of the mirror, adjusting the lapels of her red blazer over a white turtleneck. A pair of fitted black trousers and sleek heels completed her polished yet effortlessly elegant look.

Behind her, Haruka leaned against the doorframe with a playful grin.

"Is the game ready?" Lillie asked, fastening the last button of her blazer.

"Yep! All the bugs have been fixed, and the system is fully developed. The only thing left is for you to give the 'go' signal." Haruka winked and gave her a thumbs-up.

Lillie nodded in satisfaction. Months of hard work had finally paid off.

At her side, Storm sat tall and proud, his black fur gleaming under the soft lighting. He had been practically glued to Lillie since she fell ill, and now that they were returning home, he looked even more eager.

Haruka caught the way Storm's tail wagged at the mere mention of leaving. She smiled—albeit half-heartedly.

She didn't want to admit it, but she had grown attached to the massive wolf over the past few weeks. It wasn't just that she had cared for him while he was recovering—Storm had been an unexpectedly loyal companion, a silent but ever-present force of comfort.

Storm, ever perceptive, noticed the shift in Haruka's expression. Without hesitation, he padded over to her, his large paws making almost no sound against the floor.

Haruka blinked in confusion as he gently placed one massive paw over her foot.

"Storm?" she murmured, kneeling to his level. "What's wrong?"

Before she could react, Storm leaned in and gave her a single, deliberate lick on the cheek.

Haruka froze.

Storm, satisfied, turned on his heel and trotted back to Lillie's side, as if nothing had happened.

Haruka's mind short-circuited.

Storm… licked her?

In human terms, that was practically a kiss!

Her hands flew to her cheeks, her expression a mix of disbelief and awe. "S-Storm… are you feeling okay? Did you catch Lillie's cold?"

Storm gave her a flat, unimpressed look.

Lillie chuckled. "That was his way of thanking you—for taking care of him and helping him recover." She reached down and affectionately scratched behind his ears.

Storm's eyes softened, his tail wagging at the attention.

Haruka sniffled dramatically and rubbed at her eyes with her sleeve. "Huhuhu! Storm-kun, I'll miss you!"

Storm merely rolled his eyes. This human was such a drama queen.

At that moment, Ethan descended the stairs, his presence commanding as always. Behind him, a few servants followed, carrying their luggage.

"I called the airport," Ethan said coolly. "Arranged for a private plane—since he is coming with us." His gaze flickered toward Storm, his voice dripping with annoyance as he deliberately emphasized the last word.

Storm bared his teeth slightly.

How was it possible to instantly dislike someone at first glance?

Ethan and Storm had accomplished just that.

They were both fiercely possessive over one woman. They both saw themselves as her protector.

And they both refused to back down.

A silent battle of wills commenced as the two locked eyes, invisible lightning crackling between them.

Neither would admit it, but they had already declared each other rivals.

Once the last of the luggage was packed into the car, Haruka's driver took them to the airport while Haruka returned to the company to give the game one final check.

At the Airport

Ever since the leaked photo of Ethan escorting a mysterious woman at the airport, the media had gone into a frenzy. The speculation alone was enough to send a few ambitious paparazzi from Country K flying over just to stake out for that couple.

So when a sleek black Mercedes pulled up in front of the terminal, cameras were immediately raised.

The paparazzi held their breath as the car door opened.

Their fingers hovered over the shutter button—

—only for an elderly woman to step out.

The group collectively groaned in disappointment.

Muttering curses under their breath, they lowered their cameras, convinced they had been watching the wrong car.

Because of that, they completely missed the red car that smoothly slipped past them, entering the VIP gate.

Unbothered and undetected, Ethan and Lillie's car drove directly onto the runway, where a private plane awaited them.

The aircrew stood in a neat formation, watching as the vehicle came to a stop.

Ethan stepped out first, followed by Lillie. The crew immediately straightened, offering polite bows as they greeted them warmly.

Then—Storm jumped out.

Instant chaos ensued.

Several of the female flight attendants let out small screams of terror. One nearly fainted.

A few of the male staff instinctively stepped back, their hands twitching toward anything that could be used as a weapon.

After all, it wasn't every day that a massive black wolf—larger than some grown men—suddenly appeared just a few feet away from them.

Storm, unfazed, simply gave them all a lazy, almost smug glance.

The driver unloaded their luggage, and the attendants hesitantly approached, casting nervous glances at Storm every few seconds.

The Captain, having witnessed the sheer unprofessionalism of his crew, sighed heavily. He had been informed in advance that a wolf would be on board. He had explicitly reminded everyone to remain calm and composed.

And yet, the moment they laid eyes on Storm, it was as if all that training had flown out the window.

Shaking his head, the Captain turned to Ethan and Lillie, bowing respectfully.

"I sincerely apologize for my crew's lack of professionalism, Mr. and Mrs. Li."

…

Mrs. Li?

Lillie blinked.

Her gaze immediately flickered to Ethan, who—for the first time in his life—refused to meet her eyes.

A rare sight indeed.

Lillie's lips curled slightly.

Mrs. Li, huh?